Staff Spotlight: Amanda Morris
This Staff Spotlight feature, we are excited to introduce Amanda Morris. Amanda began contractual work as a utility assistance application processor at THAW in December 2011. In 2014, she officially joined the THAW team and began approving applications. Consistently moving up in the organization, Amanda became the Operations Project Administrator for the
Energy Efficiency Assistance Program (EEA) last year. EEA supports low-income Michigan residents at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level.
Residents can receive new, energy efficient appliances, including furnaces, hot water tanks, refrigerators, and various basement and attic installations.
Even though she describes every aspect of her work with THAW over the last decade as rewarding, Amanda says that helping people live comfortably in their homes after they’ve reached out during the freezing winter is such a wonderful feeling. “Most clients are living in older homes; they may have a boiler, heater or a furnace that is 50 or 60 years old. They own their homes but can’t afford the appliances they need to be comfortable,” she says.
The EEA program aids renters and homeowners year-round. “Many of the people who call for help are seniors, and I love my seniors, or they have children in the home. Knowing that I can change their lives in a week or two, making sure they’re able to eat refrigerated food and be warm is so fulfilling,” Amanda says.
Customer care and service have always been important to Amanda. Before joining the THAW team, she served as a nursing assistant. She left the medical industry when she was asked to support THAW’s expanding Customer Assistance Days (CADs), which provide assistance in communities across the State. Clients receive in-person support during the CADs and get a step closer to the utility relief they need.
As much as Amanda enjoys helping people, she recognizes the challenges of her work. “The most challenging part of my job is when I can’t assist. Someone could be $5 over the income requirement for a program and denied assistance. It makes me so sad, but I always try to connect them to other resources and encourage them to reach back out if their income changes. I know that everyone’s income isn’t the same month-to-month.” At THAW, team members understand families experiencing sudden energy crises and income fluctuation and work to appropriately place them in programs or refer them to other services.
In addition to her work at THAW, Amanda enjoys watching movies, traveling, and math. You can find her randomly practicing math problems throughout the day or helping her children with their math assignments. A wife and mother of three daughters, one of whom is graduating from Jalen Rose Leadership Academy and heading to Eastern Michigan University on a full academic scholarship, Amanda is an empathetic, dedicated, and passionate team player.
